JEMEZ SPRING — A little-known haunted find in the small village of Cañon, just eight miles south of Jemez Springs, is expected to draw Halloween lovers to the Jemez Valley again this year.

“Haunted Jemez” features a roughly half-acre of private property featuring several scary scenes outdoors, in which visitors can walk around, with almost two dozen animated and non-animated creatures throughout the circular walk.

“Haunted Jemez” has grown in size since it was initiated three years ago by Cañon resident, Sharon Chism, whose aim is to promote the “inner child.”

“My overriding goal in hosting a haunted graveyard experience is to encourage visitors to come up the area, enjoy the hot springs up in Jemez Springs and all there is to do in the area,” said Chism.

Before moving to New Mexico, Chism’s son, Charlie Reagan, set up a similar graveyard at their Texas home where visitors would stop for over 15 years.

Though Reagan set up something similar in Cañon when they first arrived, he was later hired to set up and manage the well-known Haunted Corn Field at McCall’s Pumpkin Patch in Moriarty. His mother vowed to carry on the tradition in Cañon on her own.

“Haunted Jemez” gets as many as 40 visitors daily - primarily adults – including many camera club and car club groups who take photos at the location.

Chism hopes to grow the event each year by increasing the number of creatures and scary scenes on the property. As the props are very fragile, visitors are asked not to touch displays or creatures, but they are welcome to get close for selfies and photo ops.

Visitors to “Haunted Jemez” can expect to meander through several scary scenes scapes on the property including: Western scene, English graveyard, witch’s tea party, warewolves, zombies, Hearse, caskets, mausoleum and more.

Haunted Jemez will also be open on Halloween until 10 p.m. Weather permitting, Chism will be offering hot dogs, chips, drinks and s’mores around a campfire to anyone interested in attending.

Of course, candy will be handed out to all the trick-or-treaters. There is no charge to visit “Haunted Jemez,” but donations are always accepted. The area is open daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. “Haunted Jemez” is located at 2897 NM-485 on the road to the Gilman Tunnels. From Albuquerque, take N.M.-550 to NM-4, continue until N.M.-485. Follow the signs to exit west on N.M.-485 approximately three miles until you see a line of pumpkins and the graveyard on the right.

For more information about the Jemez Valley and Jemez Springs, visit jemezsprings.org or Facebook/JemezSprings.